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Friday, October 9, 2015

Friday, 9 October,2015 Ezekiel 47-48; John 20 ~ Elizabeth

In our
Ezekiel reading for today, water is a huge symbol. Water is the symbol of the
life-giving blessings flowing in the channels of divine grace. When, as here,
it emanates from the temple where the reconciled God resides, it prefigures the
restoration to life in the new covenant. The flow of this water never stops.
Arabah was desert land including the area of the Salt Sea and extending
southward from it. The Salt Sea, rightly called because its salt kills
vegetation and marine life, could sustain life when the river flowed into it,
overcoming its deadly properties. The miraculously increasing supply of water
irrigated and fructified ever-widening banks, turning them into a paradise of
trees bearing fruit every month. In ancient Israel, various leaves and plants
had medicinal uses. Here, God provides a most beneficial cure. God’s grace
transforms what was dead to bring forth new life. How great is His power! How
gentle His kindness toward us.

When
speaking of the sojourners and the native-bornchildren, Luther
wrote: “According to the second part of the prophecy and the new covenant, the
Jews are no longer Israel, for all things are to be new, the Israel too must
become new. Those alone are the true Israel who have accepted the new covenant
which was established and begun at Jerusalem. For according to the old covenant
I am no Israelite, or Jew. But I claim now that I am the son of St. Paul, and
an Israelite or Benjamite. For Paul is my father, not the old Paul but the new
Paul. He is still the old Paul, but out of the old Paul there has arisen a new
Paul in Christ; and he has gotten me in Christ by the gospel [1 Cor. 4:15], so
that I am in his likeness according to the new covenant. Thus all the Gentiles
who are Christians are the true Israelites and new Jews, born of Christ, the
noblest Jew. Everything, therefore, depends upon the new covenant, which the
Messiah was to found, making all things new, as he has done” [AE 35:87-88].

Just as the
temple complex symbolized ideal worship and the river symbolized God’s
blessings flowing to His people, the land apportionment symbolizes God’s
abundant grace. Each tribe is welcomed back. In the new covenant, God has
reconciled every person to Himself-including us. The blood that flowed from
Christ’s hands, feet, and riven side supply life to all who believe. Reconciled
with God and declared a communion of saints, the former servants of sin bring
to their Redeemer the sacrifices of praise and a sanctified life. They need not
worry that the supply of royal gifts will give out, for they flow from the
throne of grace in streams that grow in abundance. Nor will there ever be a
moment when the gracious, protecting presence of the Shepherd/King in His flock
will be in doubt, for it will always be true that “the Lord is there”. As
Luther says: “This everlasting kingdom, however, contains in addition such
immeasurable, glorious blessings as forgiveness of sins, peace with God,
security against everlasting death and all evil, communion with the Divine
Majesty and with all angels and saints, joy and pleasure in the whole creation,
even in a physical sense. For this same body, which is now the old body, shall
also become new, together with the whole creation, as the soul has already
begun to become new in faith”. [AE 35:290]

The first witnesses
of Jesus’ resurrection see an empty tomb bearing all the signs of the
fulfillment of the OT promises and Jesus’ own declaration that He “must rise
from the dead”. The disciples were slow to believe, just as we, too, can be of
little faith. Thankfully for us, Christ grants us His Spirit to work faith in
us. Christ robbed the grave of death, confirming His own words, “I am the
resurrection and the life”. After His resurrection, Jesus first appears to Mary
Magdalene, who is led to recognize Him and goes to tell the disciples she has
seen the Lord. The once-crucified Jesus then appears to His disciples,
commissioning them for their work and equipping them with the Holy Spirit,
Christians have received the most precious treasure on earth-the Gospel of forgiveness-but
often keep it hidden from others. God raised Jesus, the great Shepherd of the
sheep, and will equip us with every good thing to do His will (Heb. 13:20-21).

John, the
author of this Gospel, clearly states its purpose and summarizes its central
message. People commonly and mistakenly think that biblical books were written
mainly to provide rules for godly living. Speaking through John, God announces
the Good News that Jesus is His Son and that by faith in His name, we have life
and salvation-the core message of the entire Gospel.

I liked your posting on Ezekiel with the symbolism of water and how Christ is the river of life!

I wonder what Thomas felt about seeing Jesus after the resurrection but only believing with the visual proof. Like Elizabeth said, we are no different than Thomas at times. We see many miracles today, and at times still doubt what our great God can do!

I once heard or read that Mary being the first to see Jesus was poor storytelling. In a society where women were dependent on men and given little value it is almost ironic that it is a woman to first see and hear from Jesus after his resurrection. If the story of Jesus' resurrection is unbelievable the eye witness account from a woman adds to it's unbelievable-ness. If the story if Jesus would be a make-believe story then men should have been the first eye witness to validate the story.